2 Timothy 1:7 (CSB)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
When I was a little boy, one of the most exciting events of the year was when the circus came to town. I can remember marveling at the towering tent being set up downtown and watching those magnificent elephants pull heavy ropes with such ease. Then they would take that same elephant, wrap a rope around its foot, and attach the other end to a little stake they had driven into the ground. I had watched episodes of Wild Kingdom on TV and seen how these mighty elephants could push over trees like they were nothing.
It boggled my mind how this powerful animal could be held in bondage by a little rope that was staked into the ground. Later, I learned the heart-wrenching truth of how the trainers would take the baby elephant and put a chain around their foot that was tethered to a stake. And when the little guy would pull against the chain, the bondage would bring pain, reinforcing the lie that it was powerless against the chain. When the elephant is fully grown, they could easily break the chain, but they won't even try because they were broken not in the physical sense but in a mental and emotional sense. The elephants were captive to their own minds, haunted by the pain and trauma of their past.
How many of us are like the captive elephant? Trapped in a world of lies that are always trying to force us to live in bondage. From a young age, this world system has bombarded us with false beliefs about how it can give us happiness and fulfillment. When we buy into its lies, we become completely unaware of the contentment and joy that are found only in the Kingdom of God. You must understand that when you don't know your identity in Christ, it's not just a gap in your spiritual understanding; it's a void that affects every aspect of your life. Your mental, emotional, and relational well-being are all impacted by this. It's much like an invisible chain that keeps you from living in your true freedom in Christ Jesus.
Far too many Christians live in the bondage of their old chains. They allow past hurts, mistakes, and traumas to tether them to the lies of this world. But here is the truth of Jesus that shines like a shaft of radiant light in the darkness: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). According to your position in Christ, you're not just a little bit free; you're free indeed! This reveals that you are free from every lie, every past hurt, every past trauma, and every mistake, big or small. This includes your greatest regret. Yes, even "that" is not too strong for Jesus!
There is a massive difference between the circus elephant and the wild elephant. Not in strength and ability but in identity. If the circus master were to try to wrap that same rope around a wild elephant, the results would be ridiculous. The wild elephant would easily snap the rope because it knows its identity and power and is fearless. So let me ask you this important question: Do you know who you are in Christ? Because if you really do, then no chain from your past can define you, and the circus master can't control you.
To live a life full of faith in Christ Jesus is to live a life that is fearless. You must understand that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear. The most often repeated commandment in the Bible is "fear not, not “don’t doubt.” When you're living in the Kingdom, you're walking in freedom. The circus master has been defeated, and his chains of pain have been transformed into jewels of victory. Don't believe me? As you make your way through this day, take note of all the people wearing cross necklaces.
Here is some truth for today:
The Bible refers to those who are in Christ Jesus as:
1. Children of God
1 John 3:1 (CSB)
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.
2. Spiritually alive
Romans 8:8–9 (CSB)
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.
3. A new creation in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!